Something More
by MyWordsMySoul
Summary: A man and woman, thrown together by circumstances beyond their control, learn what few ever fully comprehend: There is often more than meets the eye. Complete Summary Inside
1. Chapter 1: Fancy Meeting You Here

**A/N: Hello Everyone! To any of you who were fans of my Dramione fic, I apologize for deleting it, but in the end I just couldn't write something that cliché, I'm rather fond of my artistic license you know! :P Anyways, this is the first chapter of a slightly daunting project inspired by Bccaw. I sometimes get annoyed with plotlines that progress too quickly, and so I decided to write a complete story in the form of three separate stories ordered chronologically. Although I realize that some find the SSHG pairing slightly disturbing, I would also like to point out that Wizarding London is rather reminiscent of the middle-ages in which such age gaps were more than appropriate. I truly hope you enjoy my story, and your opinions and criticisms are most welcome. I own only the plot, nothing more.**

**Something More**

** Chapter 1: Fancy Meeting You Here**

Severus Snape did not enjoy surprises, in fact the loathed them quite completely. It had been five years since the fall of the Dark Lord, five years since the death of Albus Dumbledore, and five years since the school had a true Transfiguration professor. Since Minerva had taken Albus' place as head of Hogwarts, there had been many who attempted to take the woman's place, but all had ultimately failed to please her standards. The feast would commence in less than an hour, and it had been announced only that morning that Minerva had finally found her successor, but was keeping it a secret until her staff could meet her for themselves.

There was much speculation at the staff table that night, and Severus found himself somewhat curious as well. Who had finally managed to impress the aging head mistress? At least he could be assured of the woman's intelligence if nothing else. He braced himself as Minerva stood to give her welcome speech. In just a few moments someone would walk through those doors, and be proclaimed the new Transfiguration professor. Though he had thought himself prepared for anything, nothing had prepared him for Minerva's next statement.

"_Please join me in welcoming your new Transfiguration professor, Hermione Granger!"_

Severus jolted in spite of himself, and his hand all but flew to massage his suddenly sore temples.

_Granger?! The insufferable Gryffindor know it all? _In retrospect, it made sense. One would have had to be completely daft not to notice Minerva's preference for Granger during her Hogwarts years, and her gift for Transfiguration had been obvious as well. None the less, the thought of dealing with Granger day in and day out depressed him. He looked up then, scanning the room for the bushy-haired Gryffindor princess.

What he saw shocked him, the woman who took the stage on Minerva's urging was not the awkward teenager he remembered. What met his eyes now was an almost completely altered image. Her hair was still thick and curly, but it had grown long, and time had tamed the unruly style into something smoother and more age-appropriate. Her figure had bloomed, and though she was not heavily endowed, her shape suited her studious nature perfectly. All of this Severus realized in a somewhat detached, analytical way, common to one of his profession.

She smiled, and he was shocked anew at the almost blinding white of her perfectly straight teeth, although in retrospect this should not have come as a shock to him, even muggles could do such things these days. She thanked Minerva softly, and the two women exchanged warm smiles before she took to the podium.

She cleared her throat gently before she began speaking. "As Professor McGonagal mentioned, my name is Hermione Granger. Though most of you know me for my role in the war", here she smiled in an oddly self-depreciating way, "it is my hope that we will get to know each other this year, and also that you will enjoy learning Transfiguration as much as I am certain I will enjoy teaching it, thank you all."

Her speech completed, Granger took a seat at the opposite end from Severus. Despite himself, his eyes followed her there. There was a maturity, a sort of sadness in her eyes that had not been there before, and he was curious about what had caused her such pain. As if sensing his perusal, she met his gaze, and he schooled his features into his trademark scowl. She gave him a look as if to say _'some things never change'_ before turning to acknowledge someone else.

He sighed, berating himself for his rudeness, though he was typically withdrawn, he normally saved such intimidations for his students, of which he was becoming increasingly aware she was no longer one. He resolved to welcome her properly, if only to salve his reputation. When the feast was over, the students dispersed, and he noticed that Granger seemed in a hurry to leave.

"Miss Granger", he drawled before she could make her escape. He noticed the slight tensing of her shoulders and was amused, he had not lost his touch after all.

* * *

Hermione froze, "yes Prof-err-Sev-um-Snape?" She didn't turn around, she didn't dare. She could almost picture the mocking smirk on his face in her mind's eye. Slowly, she forced herself to face him, and met his eyes with an almost defiant air. He was not exactly as she remembered him, life without the pressing stress of being a double-agent had done wonders for her former professor. He did not look, and Hermione realized was probably not a day over forty years old.

He was not smirking, though Hermione noticed a strange glint in his eyes she had never seen before. "I only wanted to welcome you to Hogwarts Miss Granger." Shocked, she searched his face for some sign of insincerity. When she found none, her face contorted into a cautious smile. "Thank you…" She groped for words again. He was no longer her professor, but calling him Snape reminded her too vividly of her years here with her friends. Thankfully, after watching her squirm for a few moments, he finally rescued her.

"Call me Severus" he said simply, and before she could respond, he left her standing there, mouth slack, staring bewildered at his retreating back.

**A/N: I wasn't quite sure how to handle the different perspectives, but I think I've decided to simply divide the story equally between Hermione and Snape, most will be divided in some small way in order to make the transition apparent and less confusing. This may not always be the case, but I will do my best to hold true to my plan. I realize this was not the most exciting chapter ever, but I am doing my best to do both the characters and the situation justice. I will update no less than once a week, quite possibly more depending on my exam schedule. Any and all thoughts are welcome, so long as they are intelligent and constructive. **

"


	2. Chapter 2: If I'm A Know It All

**A/N: Hi All! Once again, I own only the plot. Enjoy!**

**Something More **

** Chapter 2: If I'm A Know-It-All You're A Git**

It was only once he'd made it to the dungeons that Severus relaxed. He smirked at the memory of Granger's dumbfounded expression moments before. It might not be so bad having her around after all, messing with her head had been almost…_fun_. He knew instinctively that Granger was not a woman used to being surprised by anything, which made the knowledge that he had done just that all the more satisfying.

He undressed meticulously, and then plucked a book from his bedside table. He lay in bed, thumbing the pages for several minutes, and allowing the words to run together in his mind until he finally fell asleep.

Elsewhere in the castle, Hermione had finally finished settling into her apartments. Due to her new status as head of Gryffindor, they were located within easy walking distance of said tower. She exhaled a long breath, and allowed herself to collapse on the black leather couch in her sitting room. Despite her Gryffindor roots, Hermione favored darker colors when decorating, and most of her apartments were done in varying shades of burgundy, dark green and navy blues. Several minutes later, she had settled in for the night. As if to spite her, her mind played her last moments with Severus repeatedly, as though it were a broken record.

He had earned his reputation as the Bat of the Slytherin Dungeons fairly enough, so why had he taken special care to be nice to her. _'Well'_, she corrected herself, '_not nice…but definitely not rude either.'_ She sighed, aware that she was probably reading too much into things as she often did. She sighed, and fell into a fitful sleep minutes later.

The next morning, Hermione dressed in her teaching robes, and left her apartments quickly. Being late for breakfast on her first day as a professor probably wouldn't make a very good impression. She thought it best to avoid Severus, she wasn't exactly sure what had brought about the change in him, but neither was she sure she wanted to know. She made it to her place at the head table mere moments before the students began pouring in.

Minerva gave her a knowing look. "Did you have a long night dear?" she asked in a low voice. Hermione smiled at the woman, "in a manner of speaking", she answered as honestly as she could. Minerva nodded, "it will get easier, just take it one day at a time, and teaching will be second-nature before you know it." Hermione gave her a grateful look, "I hope so."

Severus noticed the exchange, but did not comment, Professor Binns was prattling on about some new historic discovery that had been made recently. Although he nodded appropriately, it was only out of sheer strength of will that he didn't cast a silencing charm on the man. Soon enough, breakfast ended, and so, thankfully, did the conversation. Severus made his way to the dungeons, trademark glare in place, daring any student to offer him so much as a "hi professor."

It wasn't that Severus hated his students; in fact some of them were intelligent enough to be considered teachable. He did, however, find it easier to control his classroom if they were afraid of him.

In another classroom, Hermione Granger was in a panic. Her class was due to start in ten minutes and it appeared that someone had depleted her entire store of cockroaches. Since she was teaching the transfiguration of roaches to buttons that day, they were rather important to her lesson. It wasn't that Hermione was afraid she wouldn't be able to teach her lesson; she was far too inventive for that. No, what panicked her was the fact that there was only one other place to find said roaches: in the potions storeroom.

Hermione weighed her options quickly, she could either swallow her pride and ask to borrow them from Snape, or she could try to come up with another lesson in the next…eight minutes. Sighing, she waved her wand so that her students could copy the lesson notes in her absence. Though she doubted any of them actually would, there was always a chance.

Students had already begun filtering into Severus' classroom when he heard her voice. "Severus?" He knew immediately that it was Granger, owing in part to the uncomfortable way in which she'd said his name. He cursed the fact that the first class of the morning was a first year mix of Slytherins and Gryffindors, because both sets of students, upon grasping the situation, began to 'ooo' annoyingly. Unable to withstand such juvenile behavior, Snape spanned the room in a withering glare.

The room went silent in an instant, and a satisfied Snape stepped into the hall to speak with the Transfiguration professor. "What is it Miss Granger?" Severus noticed that she seemed rather frustrated, and was instantly curious. "Severus I.." she paused, swallowed hard, and then continued. "I seem to be completely out of cockroaches."

Severus bit his tongue, Granger looked as though she would rather be facing Voldemort by herself without a wand as be standing in front of him in this situation. Enjoying her discomfort, he let the silence between them lengthen. "And how, may I ask, is that my problem?" She looked confused for a moment, as though his attitude were unexpected, before her expression became decidedly defensive.

"Well _Severus,_ since the only other place in the entire castle that contains cockroaches would be your storeroom; it would make sense that I needed them." She appeared quite pleased with her logic. Severus, for his part, appeared surprised; it was uncommon that anyone, least of all one of his former students, was this blunt to him. Normally, he would have lashed out at such insolence, but his reactions were overshadowed by the delightful knowledge that she was just as easy to rile as she had been when she was a student, or was she?

He had what she wanted within moments, but just as he was about to deliver his parting shot, she interrupted him. "Oh, and Severus, since we are colleagues now, you should probably call me Hermione."

Though Severus had the grace not to look shocked as Hermione had done, he was none the less surprised anew. "Touché Gr-Hermione…touché." Perhaps there was something to be said for Gryffindor courage after all.

**A/N: Okay, so I'll rarely write two chapters in one night, but I had a day off from college and I'm really enjoying this story. Once again, all intelligent opinions are more than welcome, I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. ****J**


	3. Chapter 3: Fraternizing With The Enemy

**A/N: So, another day another chapter. Thank you to all of you who added me to your alert list or reviewed. It's nice to know you're enjoying my story. I own the plot, nothing more. On we go! P.S.**

**Something More**

**Chapter 3: Fraternizing With a Former Enemy**

Hermione's lesson went off with only the expected hitches. Buttons with legs were difficult to catch, but catch them they did. One student, A blonde-haired, blue eyed, Ravenclaw named Alicia, had even managed the assignment on the first try.

Hermione had praised the girl's efforts, but was careful not to single her out. She understood better than most how difficult being a 'teacher's pet' could be. When the last of her students had left for the day, Hermione collapsed into her chair. Teaching was harder than it looked! One had to be both a friend and a disciplinarian, no easy task. Plus, some students needed extra help while others resented her for it.

All in all, it was still Hermione's dream job, but she realized she had been ill-prepared to handle the stress. The tension had just started to leave her muscles when the door opened. She opened her mouth to reprimand whoever it was about knocking, but the words stuck in her throat, and she smiled.

She couldn't have been happier to see the man standing in front of her. His platinum-blonde hair and gray eyes were a welcome sight indeed. "Draco!" She stood and embraced him warmly. "It's so good to see you!" He accepted her into his arms, before stepping back offering her a piece of German chocolate. "I'll bet you could use this", he said by way of explanation.

Her smile widened, "has anyone told you how amazing you are lately?" He grinned roguishly at her, "Why yes, daily in fact." She shook her head, some things never changed.

Anyone looking in on this scene would likely have thought at least one of the two were under the imperious curse. After all, it made no sense that the muggle-born Gryffindor princess and the pure-blood Slytherin prince would even stand to be in the same room, much less appear to be very good friends.

The truth was that once they had gotten out from under Lucius' iron fist, both Draco and Narcissa were amazingly adaptable. Though Draco's pure-blood breeding ran deep, after the war he'd been forced to work with Hermione to track down the remaining deatheaters, as one of the conditions of his freedom.

Narcissa for her part had thrown herself into the social side of things. She invited all of Wizarding London, muggle-born and pure-blood alike, to attend gala after gala at the Malfoy mansion on an almost weekly basis. Between the two of them, and with Lucius firmly imprisoned in Azkaban, the Malfoy name was mending both its reputation and influence nicely.

Hermione and Draco had slowly built a friendship on the mutual respect they'd had for each other. As time progressed, they'd even managed to find some common ground, and it was Hermione who had gone with Draco the first time he went to visit his father. She better than anyone else had understood the pain and sense of loss that Draco felt, and when they left the iron doors she'd simply stood there, arms open and ready to accept him.

As it currently stood, they were best friends. Harry and Ron had taken some time to convince, which is a polite way of saying Harry had gone to Ginny to rant and Ron had threatened to hex Draco within an inch of his life if he ever did anything to hurt Hermione, but they had come around, and life was peaceful, for the most part that is.

Draco pulled a chair up to Hermione's and grinned. He'd been teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts for a bit over a year now, so he understood her harassed expression. She took a moment to enjoy the chocolate he'd brought her before she started. She then proceeded to relay everything to him, including the incident with Snape that morning.

Draco's eyes were glowing with mirth as she finished. She gave him a disgruntled look, "it isn't funny!" Draco bit his cheek, but managed to make his features properly sympathetic for a moment. "No, of course it isn't. It's just that…" His eyes lit up again, and Hermione sighed. "Well, go on then, laugh if you must."

Draco chuckled, "it is awfully funny Hermione. I mean, I can just picture you standing there with that horrified look on your face..." He trailed off as though he were indeed picturing the scene. Hermione remembered the moment and the corners of her mouth quirked upward. "I suppose it was", she conceded.

In the dungeons, Severus was reading one of the latest books on potion brewing. Or rather, he appeared to be reading. In reality, he was having an argument with himself. Finally, he tossed the book aside, he needed to talk to someone, and who better than his godson?

Severus left the dungeons in search of Draco. He wasn't in his classroom, or his apartments. It was not until Severus heard voices in the Transfiguration classroom that Severus realized he'd found him.

"He'll come around Hermione", Severus heard Draco say. Who were they referring to? Though Severus rarely stooped to something as childish as eavesdropping, his curiosity won out over his maturity. "I know Draco, I know. He's just so frustrating sometimes." Severus had been aware of his godson's friendship with Granger; it had surprised him to say the least.

His mind ran through the possibilities, a boyfriend perhaps? Or maybe one of the other two-thirds of the golden trio had somehow fallen from Granger's good graces. Draco's next words broke into his reverie. "Severus isn't a bad man; he just takes some getting used to."

They were talking about him? Severus was torn between amusement and confusion. He hadn't been aware their exchanges actually bothered Granger, irritated her yes, annoyed her sure, but bothered her? He wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Her response only confirmed Severus' thoughts. "I don't think he'll ever like me. He tolerates me, but being part of the _golden trio_, she spat out the words, might as well make me an untouchable to him.

Years as a spy told him that both were now standing, and quite possibly hugging. "Get to know him, Hermione. He will come around eventually, you'll see." As they separated, Severus could hear the smile in Granger's voice. "You know him better than anyone Draco, if you think it's worth a shot, I'll try."

They were moving toward the door, and Severus panicked, to be caught here meant he would have to admit to eavesdropping. He thought it best to just keep moving and pretend he had only been passing by.

This might have worked, had his godson not known him so well. Hermione had given him an odd look, but was apparently content to let it go. Draco, however, was not so easily placated. When Hermione was safely out of earshot, he rounded on Severus. "You were listening", he accused confidently. It was not a question.

Severus sighed, he knew arguing with Draco would be useless. "Yes", he said simply. Draco smirked at him, "how much did you hear?" Severus backtracked, "I believe you were defending my personality when I arrived", Severus intoned in his best no-nonsense teaching voice.

Draco was neither fooled nor impressed. "It really frustrates her that you won't even give her a chance you know", he said softly. "She's a hell of a woman, Severus." Snape simply nodded, refusing to show any emotion either way. Draco shrugged, "People change. You should know that better than most." Having said his piece, Draco excused himself on the premise of having papers to grade.

It vaguely occurred to Severus that it was highly unlikely Draco had given a paper on the first day, but he was grateful for the excuse none the less. Nodding to his godson, he excused himself, but Draco's words and his conversation with Hermione, followed him down the hall.

Sitting in a chair in an armchair in his living room, Severus continued to think over the day's events. He wasn't sure what Granger expected of him, he had never been a friendly man, at least not since…

No! He would not think of her, Could not think of her! He forced his mind back to the present, but his brief journey to the past had let its mark. He had always known, and fought the knowledge that Hermione shared a great deal in common with another know-it-all Gryffindor: Lily Evans.

To this day he refused to think of her as Lily Potter. He remembered her only as she had been at Hogwarts, a bright, loving, muggle-born witch, and his friend. His mind made the comparison without his consent, and he wondered briefly if he held against Granger more than just her status as one of the golden trio. Granger, like Lily had befriended a Potter. Though Harry was not the bully his father had been, seeing Lily's eyes, forever emblazoned in Potter's face, had rubbed Severus on the raw.

Both were exceedingly intelligent, kind, loving individuals, and for a brief moment Severus wondered what it would be like to count Hermione Granger as a friend, if it would do anything to repair the damage that had been done him over the years as a result of his break with Lily.

He squashed the thought immediately; no one would ever replace Lily in his heart. He wouldn't allow it. However, before he could silence the thought, it occurred to him that therein may lay the actual problem. It was not that he couldn't let go of Lily, it was that he refused to do so.

Severus dreaded attending dinner more than he had since he had shared a table with Delores Umbridge. However, attendance was a requirement, and after dressing as slowly as he possibly could, Severus did indeed attend.

Hermione Granger was determined. She understood that it was unlikely she and Severus would ever be good friends, but if she had to work with the overgrown bat anyway, she was going to make the best of it. She dressed in her robes, but rather than leave them black, she charmed them a deep hunter green. She knew she would probably catch some flak from Minerva and the Gryffindors for her choice, but she hoped Severus might take it as an olive branch of sorts.

When she arrived in the Great Hall, Draco was already there, and she took the chair to his left. He prodded her in the ribs gently and whispered, "I never thought I'd see the day when Hermione Granger was trying to impress a Slytherin."

Hermione flushed bright pink. "I am _not_ trying to impress him" she replied emphatically. "I am just trying to make a point!" Draco held up his hands in a mock-defensive gesture. "Okay, okay, no need to get your knickers in a twist, Granger."He grinned at her and winked. "Here he comes", he murmured.

In spite of herself, Hermione was nervous, what if he thought her gesture was silly, or worse, what if he didn't notice it at all? She held her breath when he sat down, wondering if he had meant to sit next to her. She was immediately reminded of Ron's words regarding Viktor Krum. 'Fraternizing with the Enemy' he had called it, she wondered briefly what he would have to say about her current seating arrangements.

Severus had scanned the head table for Hermione almost without realizing he'd done it. There was something different about her tonight, and it took him a moment to realize what it was. He noticed after a moment that where all of the other teachers' robes were colored in some darker variation of the house they represented or supported, Granger's robes were an almost black, shade of dark green.

His mind reeled; it was obvious she'd done it intentionally, and equally as obvious that she would probably catch heat for it later. So why had she done it? The answer hit him like a bludger to the head: She had done it for him.

**A/N: So, this chapter is a bit longer than the first two. I think I've finally found a good timeline for this first story. Reviews are welcome and appreciated; I might even manage to get another chapter up today. Thank you all for your support! - MWMS**


	4. Chapter 4: No Going Back

**A/N: At the rate I'm going I may have this part of my trilogy finished by next week. Ah well, the sooner I get done with this one, the sooner I'll move on to my next project. Thank you to all those who added me to your alerts or reviewed, it's nice to know someone actually reads this besides me.****J**** That being said, I own the plot and nothing more. On we go!**

** Something More**

**Chapter 4: No Going Back**

Hermione knew the exact moment Severus noticed her choice of dress. Realization dawned on his face like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. Hermione managed to feel some sense of satisfaction that her message had been received, but that was quickly overshadowed by the realization that she had no idea _how _it had been received.

Severus gathered his wits quickly, just as she'd expected he would. She darted a nervous glance at Draco, but he too was watching his godfather. When the latter took the seat on Draco's other side, Hermione fought to tear her gaze from him. However, in the last moment before she shifted her attentions, his eyes met hers, and she found herself absorbed in his unfathomable expression.

She forced her eyes to refocus, and she turned a relieved expression on Minerva, who had inquired about her 'rather unusual robe choice'.

As Hermione scrambled for an answer to Minerva's question, Severus Snape was scrambling as well. What on earth had possessed Granger to pull a stunt like that? He knew enough of the expression on Minerva's face to know that her conversation with Granger was not to commend her.

Was his acceptance really worth so much to her? He found the idea almost laughable. Hermione Granger, war hero, best friend of the boy-who-refused-to-just-die-already, wanted _his _approval. It confused him somewhat. If she were still a student, he would have been quick to attribute her actions to her need for academic success, but as he no longer had any impact on the success of her future, that argument seemed outlandish at best.

A voice in the back of his mind whispered that it was at least possible that she simply wanted to befriend him. However, life had taught him that real friendship was a thing of myths, and anyone who thought otherwise was either naïve or selling something. Yet the voice persisted, and by the end of dinner Severus had resolved to speak to Granger, although about what he wasn't quite certain.

Hermione sighed as she stood to leave the Great Hall; Minerva had been none-too-pleased with her, but for something in the elder witch's expression led her to believe she somehow understood. She wanted to avoid Severus if she possibly could, no need to subject herself to _his_ mockery on top of everything else.

Unfortunately, today was apparently not Hermione Granger's lucky day. Could she avoid Snape? Sure, as long as she didn't mind bowling him over in the process. For as she had loitered behind in hopes of reaching her apartments in relative privacy, everyone had indeed went their separate ways, save for one.

Hermione sighed, he was standing in the hallway, and there was no pretense this time, they both knew he was waiting for her. She couldn't quite read his mood, but whatever he was feeling might as well have been rolling off of him in waves, so strong was the emotion.

Hermione rose to her full height and braced herself, preparing for the worst he could throw her way. She strode toward him, coming to a stop several inches away. "Hello Severus", she said softly.

Severus was struck by her expression. She looked as though she expected him to rake her over the coals, and he felt a brief pang of something akin to guilt that she expected so little of him. However, he could not be expected to simply give in to that feeling, he was Severus Snape after all.

"Interesting choice of robe Hermione", he drawled. In truth, he couldn't help but notice that her chosen shade was a flattering one. She looked surprised, and he smirked inwardly. "

"Y-yes I suppose it is", she responded. She still looked guarded, as though she expected him to throw some dark curse at her at any moment. He sighed, "Am I to assume there was a point to such a choice?"

She appeared offended, and Severus braced himself to endure one of her famous tirades. But, even as she opened her mouth to deliver it to him, she closed it again. The fight went out of her and she smiled sardonically up at him.

"Yes, there was", she answered, and then went on to answer his unasked question. "I don't want this to go on, this animosity we keep nourishing." Severus almost smirked, so there would be no skirting the issue this time.

"And what exactly do you propose?" he intoned silkily. She seemed to falter here, having obviously not expected to get this far. She did however regain her footing quickly. "We are both adults, Severus. I don't think it would be too difficult to treat one another with the respect of a colleague."

Now that surprised him, he had expected an offer of friendship and some tangent about the importance of forming them. What she offered him instead was very simple, an end to the bickering, peace. He analyzed the situation quickly, searching for some con. When he found none, he nodded. "Very well, I do not see why that cannot be arranged."

Breaking her emotionless façade, Hermione beamed at him, but only for a moment before her expression was blank again. "Very well then", she said softly. For all her calm, Severus took note of the triumphant expression in her eyes, and for a brief moment he wondered if he wasn't making some terrible mistake.

Before he turned away from her, Severus was unable to resist a parting shot, "that shade of green becomes you, a pity you were not sorted into Slytherin…Hermione." After all, the game must continue, if Severus were going to have any fun at all, albeit more subtly than before. However, subtlety was a thing Severus Snape did very well.

Unaware of the other's thoughts, Hermione did her best to maintain her calm, unhindered image. A compliment from Snape? Surely the end of the world must be coming after all. None the less, she had succeeded; something in their relationship had shifted. Though she was not sure what exactly this meant for either of them, she was equally aware that it was done, and there was no going back.

**A/N: So there's my second chapter of the day, things haven't quite picked up yet, but I assure you, this is only the beginning. All thoughts welcome! Have a great night all! - MWMS**


	5. Chapter 5: A Light in the Darkness

**A/N: Thank you all who added/reviewed! I'm toying with simply combining the three stories into one because the breakdown now is looking like ten chapters for the first story, twenty for the second, and thirty for the third. I didn't plan it that way, but it's a thought. I'd love to have some input. Sixty chapters is rather long, but ten is rather short if I were to end a story there. Regardless, I own the plot and nothing more.**

**Something More**

** Chapter 5: A Light in the Darkness**

Hermione went to bed that night feeling very satisfied. She and Severus had made progress, and by the looks of it her classes would work themselves out. She was awakened by the tap of an owl's beak on her window.

She tried to ignore it at first, but the noise persisted. Finally, she forced herself to get out of bed and go to the window. She allowed the bird in, fed it something small for its trouble, and removed to piece of parchment from its leg.

Without waiting for a reply, the owl left as it had come. Hermione made face. That was strange, normally when someone sent a letter the owl was instructed to wait for a response. She shrugged it off, and laid the letter on her bedside table.

She decided she'd read it after she finished her morning routine. After all, nothing that hadn't warranted a response could be that urgent. It was probably one of her friends, owling to check in on her.

An hour later she was dressed and ready to leave. The letter almost went forgotten, until she realized she'd left her wand on her bedside table. There beside it lay the note, and though she almost decided to leave it until after classes, her curious side got the best of her, and she unfurled the page.

'_Your days are numbered Mudblood'_

Hermione barely had time to register the words before her vision began to cloud. Moments later darkness had enveloped her completely, and her thoughts were no more.

Severus was on his way to his classroom when a student rushed up to him. "Professor Snape!" the child cried. Startled, Severus turned the full force of his glare on the girl. "Yes, Miss Helton?"

"Professor you have to come quickly, it's Professor Granger sir she…"

Snape's mind reeled. '_Granger? What could she have possibly gotten herself into now?'_

Aloud however, all he said was: "yes, well, out with it."

The child gulped, "sir she isn't breathing."

**(A/N: Such a tempting place to end…but that would be far too short now wouldn't it?"**

The blood drained from Severus' face. "Have you alerted Min-McGonagall?"

The child nodded, somewhat proudly. "Yes sir, she told me to get you."

Severus nodded, "go to class, and consider your message delivered."

The child nodded and scurried to avoid Snape's obviously dark mood. Severus cursed as he made his way quickly down the corridor. When he arrived to her apartments, Granger had been placed in bed.

"We found her on the floor", Minerva explained, "holding this."

She passed him the piece of parchment gingerly, almost as though she were afraid it might bite her. Severus took it, read the contents, and nodded. He felt the dark magic radiating almost as though it were a tangible thing.

"Has someone tried to enervate her yet?"

Minerva shot him a wry look. "Yes Severus, I tried as soon as I arrived."

Severus knew that under different circumstances, she would have scolded him, but there was not time for that now. "I shall take this to the dungeons for examination."

She nodded, "in the mean time are we certain it is safe for the students to go on as normal?"

Severus considered that, "Yes, whoever sent this was obviously targeting Miss Granger, I see no reason to create unnecessary panic."

McGonagall took him at his word. "I shall take over Hermione's classes, and alert your students that you have prior engagements."

She left, and Severus made to follow her, but something stopped him in the doorway. He gazed around the room. There were books everywhere, despite the library across the hall. Her robe from the night before was draped neatly over a chair.

Though he resisted, he somehow ended up next to her bed. She was pale, almost deathly so, and Severus felt an involuntary pang of sympathy. _'She looks so innocent'_, the thought came to his mind unbidden.

A single curl had draped itself over her eye. He reached out reflexively to brush it away. Her skin was cold, and that somehow scared him more than her pallor did. But then, something strange happened, a movement out of the corner of his eye. Her nose had twitched.

Severus jolted, "Miss Granger?" No response.

"Hermione can you hear me?" he touched her face again. Her eyes began to open, slowly, as though it hurt. "S-Severus?"

Inexplicable relief coursed through him. "Yes, Hermione." She smiled, but the expression was disoriented, as though she hadn't yet realized she was awake.

"Is this…am I dreaming?"

Normally, Severus would have made some bitingly sarcastic comment, but given the circumstances and the fact that he still wasn't sure what had happened to her in the first place, he refrained.

He shook his head, "no Miss Granger, you are very much awake." She nodded, but he still wasn't sure she understood. Her next words confirmed his thoughts. "Severus…the darkness..."

He was instantly alert. "What darkness?" She scrunched her face as though in thought. "I'm not sure", she answered finally. "It was so large, as though it wanted to swallow me whole."

Severus was concerned, what she described was definitely dark magic, and he wondered briefly if her description had been a dream at all. His first priority, however, was to bring her back to herself. He took her shoulders, which startled her.

"Hermione, you are awake now. There is no darkness, and even if there were you are more than safe from it."

He looked directly into her eyes, and apparently something she saw there made the difference. All at once her eyes cleared, and her voice returned to normal. She gave him a puzzled look, and he realized he hadn't let go of her shoulders. He promptly released her.

She hadn't expected that, and she let out a soft cry of surprise. Severus felt slightly guilty, but didn't find it prudent to say as much.

He stood, "I shall go alert Minerva that you are awake." Hermione looked panicked, and appeared to be struggling with her next words.

"Actually Severus…could…could you stay?"

He wanted very much to tell her no, and remove himself from the situation immediately, but not even he, Bat of the Slytherin dungeons, could ignore the fear and vulnerability in the young woman's eyes. He nodded, and pulled a chair next to her bed.

He scribbled a note to Minerva, and charmed it to find its recipient. Mere minutes later, the headmistress arrived in a flurry of robes. "Hermione!" the woman exulted. "Are you all right?"

Hermione thought about that, she felt fine, but decided to go with: "I'm not sure, I feel all right, but I'm still a little disoriented."

Minerva nodded worriedly. "We shall look into this straight away", here she gave Severus a pointed look. He nodded, but refused to be dismissed.

The headmistress sighed, "well, I suppose I should return to teaching your classes", she said at last. She left soon after, and Hermione returned her gaze to Severus. She looked as though she was once again struggling with something she wanted to say.

Severus simply sat and waited. Several moments later she opened her mouth.

"Severus I…"

Her mouth closed again as they both heard the rhythm of hurried footsteps.

"Hermione!" It was Draco, looking panic-stricken and out of breath. It took him a moment to notice the other party in the room.

"Oh, hello Severus", Draco paused as realization dawned on his face. He began backtracking, "oh I just remembered, I have to go do...that thing...for...Hagrid!"

Both Severus and Hermione looked at him as though he'd gone daft, but before they could comment he was gone.

Hermione smiled and shook her head, "quite the impeccable timing your godson has", she observed.

Much to her surprise, he smiled back at her. "That he does."

It didn't last, a moment later his face was solemn again and the spell was broken.

"You were saying..?" he drawled.

She sighed, "I was going to say..."

**A/N: And so ends this chapter, a bit of a cliff hanger there, but at least I update a lot right? XD All opinions welcome! - MWMS**


	6. Chapter 6: What Are Friends For?

**A/N: I'm sorry, I know it has been a few days but I've had a really rough week. I also wanted to create some suspense for my first cliff hanger, not to mention coming up with why it happened in the first place ^_^". I'm an impulse writer, I admit it. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy! Thank you to all of those who added or reviewed, you were bright spots in an unusually dark week:) **

**Something More**

** Chapter 6: What Are Friends For?**

He held his breath and waited for her to speak.

"Severus I…" she paused, and bit her lip, almost as though she were worried about his reaction to what she was about to say. He gave her an impatient look, and she finally relented. "It's about the curse."

Here he sat up, suddenly alert, his eyes alight with interest. "Go on."

She sighed, "I had a dream while I was unconscious, or rather, a nightmare." She seemed unwilling to remember, but continued none the less. "It was completely dark; I've never seen anything so dismally black. I remember being cold, so cold that I wondered how I was still alive. I felt like ice."

He opened his mouth to tell her to get to the point, but stopped, anything she remembered could be important later on.

She met his eyes. "It felt like I had been there forever, like I was going to be there forever. But, then, something changed, I felt small spot of warmth here". She touched her eye, and then a light suddenly pierced the darkness, but I still couldn't move."

She bit her lip, "but then something warm touched my face again, and the darkness evaporated…the next thing I saw was you."

It wasn't until she finished speaking that Severus realized he'd been holding his breath. Annoyed, he exhaled. "And what pre tell has that to do with me?" He knew he was being unnecessarily harsh with her, but his mind was busy reeling at the implications of her statement.

She looked up at him, nervous but determined to speak her mind. "It was you wasn't it? Your touch brought me back."

He searched frantically for a way to deny her revelation, any way at all. When he couldn't find one, he became angry. All at once he exploded, "what does it matter?!" Startled, she searched his eyes, currently an intriguing shade of blazing ebony. She refused to be intimidated, and forced herself to sit up.

His anger ebbed somewhat as he realized she was at great risk of over-exerting herself. None the less, the strength of will in her eyes had not dwindled one bit. "Thank you Severus, for saving my life."

Severus blanched; "I did no such thing!" he ground out adamantly. Her mouth quirked, "thank you anyway."

Severus blanched, '_bloody Gryffindor loyalty…thinks she can…thinks I'll…makes me want to touch her again…"_

Severus Snape froze. That last thought had been accompanied by the image of Granger as he'd last seen her, cold, colorless, and lifeless, his whole being rebelled against the memory.

The anger went out of him, and he sank into the chair beside her bed. "Granger…Hermione…whatever I may have done was purely accidental. I would hardly call it saving your life."

Hermione's smile became a full-fledged grin. "Some of the most heroic things of our age have been done by accident Severus, just ask Harry."

Severus managed to smirk at that, "I suppose that is true. Regardless, you will not tell anyone else what we discussed here, am I understood?"

Her expression became indignant and he flinched. _'Here it comes_'

To his surprise, however, whatever emotion she'd been fighting a moment before was hidden inside her an instant later. She nodded, and Severus knew it was probably her gratitude that kept her silent.

He stood, "I must go now, I need to get started researching the curse attached to that letter, but I will send Draco in my stead, morning classes should be ending soon."

Severus took his leave of her rather quickly. He needed time to process what had just happened, no; make that everything that had happened. For regardless of what he might tell anyone, or even try to convince himself of, Hermione Granger had just done what most considered impossible: She had made a friend of Severus Snape.

Lying in her bed, Hermione recounted the events of the day. Wake up, shower, get dressed, pass out. Not what she had originally planned for the day, granted, but neither was she entirely disappointed. She had seen the look in Severus' eyes when she'd first awakened. She'd seen the relief, the joy, the concern, and she wondered how she had ever thought him emotionless.

She lay back onto her pillows. In spite of the hours of rest she'd already accumulated, Hermione was tired, one of the side-effects of being cursed within an inch of her life no doubt. She probably had a couple of hours before Draco would be free to come see her, and she wouldn't do him any good if she slept through his visit.

Sighing, she allowed her body to relax. In her half-awake state her mind drifted lazily through the spectrum of her thoughts. In her last few moments of coherence she found herself wondering what it would be like to have Severus Snape for a friend, and somewhere between reality and her dreams she realized she already knew.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she felt someone shake her gently. At first, she resisted the invasive touch, and the voice it accompanied. After a moment, the voice became more insistent, and she grudgingly forced herself awake.

Draco's smiling face was normally a sight for sore eyes, but Hermione couldn't help but be a bit irritated. She made as if to sit up, and he put a restraining hand on her shoulder. "Severus said not to let you over-exert yourself."

Hermione glared at him. "I've been doing nothing but resting!" She forced herself to calm down. "I'm sorry, but you know how much it bothers me when people treat me like an infant."

Draco shook his head at her. Of course he knew, none of the healers at St. Mungos would come within ten feet of Granger when she had her wand. They were all fond of their extremities.

He searched her face. "Are you all right, Hermione?"

Her glare softened. "Yes, Draco, I'm fine. It will take a lot more than a bit of dark magic to incapacitate me."

He frowned, for they both knew how true that was. She was so pale, he reached out and touched her face, "you really gave me a scare there Granger", he admitted. She swatted at his hand. "Oh sod off Malfoy", she grinned at him, but it melted into a sincere expression, "I'm sorry."

He laughed, and she looked at him questioningly. "Oh nothing", he shook his head. "You amaze me sometimes. You get knocked out by a curse for the better part of a day and _you're_ the one apologizing."

Hermione laughed softly, it was rather funny when he put it like that. He took her hand, feeling the soft smoothness of her skin. Sometimes he wondered if he and Hermione might be more than friends, if there could ever be more between them. He shook his head to clear it of the thought, and Hermione looked at him oddly, "are you all right?"

He nodded emphatically, "just a cold chill." He lied smoothly.

Hermione nodded, though she didn't quite believe him. "All right", she managed as she yawned.

Draco jumped at the opportunity. "I'll let you rest", he patted her hand, and he was gone before she had the chance to formulate a denial.

She shook her head, did all men act this way or was it just the ones in her life?

Regardless, a feeling of contentment settled over her as she relaxed back into her bed. Her last thought of the day was to be glad she was surrounded by such good friends.

**A/N: Okay so I find myself tempted to possibly throw a bit of Dramione in there somewhere. I haven't decided yet, and all opinions are welcome as always! Hope you enjoyed it! -MWMS**


	7. Chapter 7: The Nightmare Begins

**A/N: Hello! I know it's been FOREVER since my last update. I kind of lost my writer's muse over the last several months, but I found it again a few days ago, and when I came across this story today I knew it was time to continue. I hope you can forgive my extended leave-of-absence, and I hope you enjoy!**

**Something More**

**Chapter 7: The Nightmare Begins**

Hermione awoke the next morning, disoriented and sweating. It was early, much earlier than she was used to. The sun had not quite risen, and the dimness only made the moment more unnerving. Her mind flashed back to the dream from which she'd just awakened. Darkness, death, and horror swirled around her in her mind's eye. It took a moment for her to realize she was shaking.

She scribbled a note to professor Snape, making sure to charm it so that it would only bother him if he were already awake. If not, it would simply return to her, and she would try again later. She rose from bed, and dressed in silence, there was no chance of her getting any more sleep, not after the night she'd just had.

She found her way into a chair in her sitting room. She was too nervous to read, but picked up a book anyway, grateful for something to do with her trembling hands. She settled in to wait for either the note or Severus.

Severus hadn't slept either, although his insomnia was a bit more intentional. He'd been up all night researching possibilities for the curse that had seemingly almost taken Granger's life. There were a million that could cause her to black out.

His mind cycled through them automatically now, the Black Death curse, the Vortex curse, all aptly named because they quite literally absorbed a person into sheer darkness until they were no longer present in reality either physically or mentally.

It was not until a note arrived, charmed similarly to the one he had sent Minerva the day before, that everything at once became perfectly clear and absolutely uncertain. In her tiny, scripted handwriting, Hermione had written only four words:

_The Night Terror Curse_

Severus' already dull pallor whitened. The Night Terror Curse was in a category called Black Magic. The Dark Lord himself had often steered clear of such magic because it took something from not only the victim, but often required the participant to pay something as well. Black magic was reserved for only the cruelest, most torturous form of punishment.

He found one of his many books on the subject, and began flipping. His eyes widened as the words in front of him confirmed his darkest fears.

_The Night Terror Curse, outlawed almost as soon as it was conceived during the era of the Salem Witch Trials, is a slow-working death curse. It kills its victims, not by taking their lives outright, but through lack of sleep, and the accumulation of stress incurred by paranoia, insomnia, and sheer terror as its name suggests. The curse works by plaguing the victim with reoccurring nightmares involving their worst fears. As the victim gets less sleep, the body begins to shut down, and the he or she dies a slow, very painful death as the body loses its ability to function properly. _

Severus scanned further, searching for the cure.

_The curse must be placed on an inanimate object, and put into contact with the intended victim. The only known cures are the death of the caster, or if the caster personally reverses the Curse._

Severus cursed loudly, a long string of expletives that would have made anyone in the Hog's Head blush. Well, that explained the note, andMiss Granger's story about the darkness, it must be a fear of hers, which made sense given her time spent in the Horocrux hunt.

He raced upstairs. He'd spent more time in the Gryffindor tower in the last two days than in the last ten years. He arrived at her apartments, and forced himself to remain calm. Oddly, he felt unprepared for the news he must now deliver. Given his years as a spy, he found it darkly humorous that Lord Voldermort had concerned him less than the frailties of a single young woman.

He knocked softly. Having received her permission, he entered slowly, and without his usual commanding presence.

Hermione did her best to smile at him as she stood to greet him, but her expression both felt and looked forced, and her shaking hands betrayed her lack of calm. She had accumulated an extensive knowledge of the worst Dark Magic had to offer. She was no stranger to the Nightmare Curse or its ramifications. Somewhat relieved, Severus realized his presence was appreciated more than his expertise.

They stood in silence for a moment, both unsure what would be appropriate conversation when one of them was facing certain death and the other was completely without a way to offer any sort of comfort. Hermione tried to remain calm, she tried with every ounce of strength she possessed, but there was only so much a single human body could endure, and Hermione Anne Granger had reached her limit.

Her legs buckled, and she collapsed. Having reached the end of her endurance, and thereby her dignity, she let the tears come. Her worst nightmares had been realized, there was nothing even Severus Snape could do to her now.

Severus had seen the intent in Hermione's eyes and body language a moment before it actually happened. Years as a spy had honed an impressive set of reflexes. He reached out, and caught her in his arms a second before she hit the floor.

He held her there, only mildly surprised when she began to cry. He was uncomfortable to say the least. Emotional outpourings were not Severus Snape's element, but neither could he abandon her, this headstrong, independent, fiery young woman who had finally, amidst one of the worst possible personal attacks known to Wizard-kind, shown her first signs of being human.

He held her in his arms, and sank to the ground with her gently as she cried. He found himself rocking gently, and wondered briefly at the ludicrousness of the situation. Here he was, Severus Snape, world renowned potions master and world renowned bat, rocking a young, beautiful woman in his arms.

It struck him that though he was not without experience of the sensual nature, he had never before simply held a woman. He had contented himself with the attentions of the simplest nature, that which could be both easily acquired and easily severed.

It occurred to him in that moment that they had something in common. Neither could deny one thing any longer: they had feelings. She, for her part, was feeling scared, alone, vulnerable, and helpless. He felt oddly protective. There was a need to shield her, to help her. He would do whatever it took to save her. He had lost one friend to his own helplessness already. On his life and his honor, it would not happen again.

She stirred in his arms, startling him. She was mentally present enough to meet his eyes, but what he found there was an almost childlike need for reassurance, for security. Her innocence radiated in glowing waves. Severus found himself thinking that surely the angels of heaven must have such eyes.

The moment was almost tangible, and it confirmed Severus' feelings, he would do whatever it took to save her from whatever evil had targeted her life. Whether as penance for his past sins or for Hermione in her own right, he was yet unsure.

The peace of the moment, however tangible, was shattered in an instant when someone cleared their throat behind him. Severus turned, ready to defend himself, but sighed in relief. "If you had been anyone else…"

**A/N: And so completes my new installment. I appreciate all feedback, both critical and non. I shall do my very best to fall into a routine of updating fairly often and regularly. Until next time, I hope everyone has a wonderful day -MWMS**


	8. Chapter 8: Two Men Falling

**A/N: Hi All, I know updates for this story have been sporadic at best, and I have nothing to say in my defense save for the fact that I'm half way through college and recently married and my priorities have realigned themselves. That being said, I still love writing and I'm going to attempt to get back into this story, I hope you all enjoy and I appreciate all rating and reviewing. **

**Something More**

**Chapter 7: Beginning the Search**

"_If you had been anyone else…"_ The man behind him rolled his grey eyes. "You'd hex me within an inch of my life", Draco Malfoy drawled, "I know." Hermione looked up from her place in Severus' arms, too emotionally spent to even consider how things must appear to outside eyes. However, Draco's presence seemed to calm her, and she recovered herself, albeit shakily, a few moments later. Draco knelt beside her and took the hand closest to him.

"We'll find out who did this, Hermione, I promise you." Draco glared at the ceiling, "and when we do I'll forego the wand and murder him or her with my bare hands…just for you." He shared a meaningful look with Severus. I think we should take her to the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey might have something in her stores that would help her slee-".

"No!" Hermione's declaration echoed off the walls. "I won't sleep, I can't." "Miss Gra-Hermione you _must_ sleep. No one can survive without proper rest." Hermione gave him a dark look, "you'd be surprised what I can survive without." Severus didn't respond for a moment. It was true, he didn't, this woman had survived unspeakable horrors, second only to the ones she was currently facing.

Draco spoke up, "Hermione, love, you have to sleep, maybe we can give you a stronger dose of dreamless sleep potion or something." Hermione appeared to be considering that. She looked hesitant, but nodded slowly, understanding that her choices in this matter were limited if she wanted to survive more than a few days.

Hermione wasn't sure her knees would hold, but she made to stand anyway. Both men rushed to accommodate her, placing themselves under each arm. Draco put his other hand on Severus' shoulder. "I'll take her, you need rest if you're going to start researching a cure tomorrow. Severus glared at his godson, there was no way he was going to relinquish Hermione, not in her fragile state.

He glanced down at Hermione, she was gazing at Draco with an expression he couldn't discern, but the warmth in her eyes made him flinch as foreign pangs of jealousy coursed through his system. He felt trapped, to argue with Draco meant revealing too much of himself, not to meant trusting someone other than himself to care for her.

His pride won. "All right", he ground out, "but do be careful." His condescending tone rankled with Draco, the younger man understood, perhaps more than Severus himself. With his back turned, Draco didn't notice the look of longing on Severus face, and given the circumstances, that was probably a good thing.

Draco cradled Hermione against his chest, and she rested her head there, feeling as safe as she could under current circumstances. "Draco?" she murmured in a tiny voice. It broke Draco's heart. "Yes, Hermione?" She looked at him hesitantly, "am I going to die?" They reached the hospital wing and found Madame Pomfrey mysteriously absent. He found an empty room and laid Hermione in the nearest bed.

Draco laid his hand against her cheek, "no Hermione, you're not going to die, you're going to live a long, full, beautiful life. You're going to find someone and get married, you're going to have little bushy haired know-it-all babies, and most importantly you're going to teach lots of little Gryffindors how to love books and hate Slytherins." He tweaked her nose, "I promise."

**A/N: I know its short, but I'm easing back into it. Thanks all! R&R**


	9. Chapter 9: The Aftermath

**A/N: I have spent a lot of time growing up in my months of hiatus from this story. I hope my writing reflects that change, but if it doesn't, I can only hope that it will some day. Also, this chapter contains DH spoilers, if you haven't read the seventh book and don't wish to know at least some of what happens, this is my warning to you.**

**The Aftermath**

Upon their arrival to the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey, once she'd recovered from her initial horrified reaction, saw fit to flit around, much like an angry bee. She had insisted that Hermione be removed to her care immediately, and had all but demanded that Draco place her in one of the wing's private infirmiry rooms. At first, Hermione protested vigorously, knowing that such rooms were reserved for long-term patients. However, after copious amounts of convincing from Draco, a threat from Madame Pomfrey that involved being transferred from Hogwarts to St. Mungo's, she'd sighed defeatedly, and given in. If there was one thing she feared more than being a semi-long-term occupant of the hospital wing, it was being a semi-long-term patient at the hospital.

She agreed to take a dose of dreamless sleep potion only after Draco agreed to keep her company until she fell asleep. Unbeknownst to her, he planned to stay much longer than that, but didn't feel it necessary to divulge such information. So it was with as much cheer as she could muster that Hermione accepted the vial, raised it slightly and muttered, "cheers", before downing it in a single shot. Draco managed a half-hearted chuckle at the resulting expression on the former-Gryffindor's face. "That's one particularly nasty brew if I remember it correctly", he teased. She shot him a look, "I think I've figured that out already", she managed. However, to its credit, the potion did its work, and Hermione drifted into unconsciousness mere minutes later. Draco, for his part, remained in the chair by her bed, her hand clasped firmly in his own.

In the dungeons, Snape was having little to no luck in the battle to get some much needed rest of his own. The book in which he'd found the curse lay open on his dresser, Severus lay in and amongst his dark green silken sheets, staring beligernatly at it from his spot in bed. Though he logically knew he needed sleep to be at his best, his mind refused to give up turning idea after idea over in his well-honed mind. _What if there was another cure that had yet to be discovered?_ a taunting voice asked. _What if there was a way to curb the effects?_ another insisted. _What if...what if...what if..._the phrase overwhelmed his thoughts, repeating itself over and over in a mocking bird-like screech. When he awoke some time later, he was uncertain of when exactly he'd fallen asleep. His first thought was to check the time, but that was overshadowed by a second, more pressing matter. _Hermione_, a sense of dread overwhelmed him, what if her condition had changed, would someone have alerted him? Surely...but he could not, in fact, be certain, so it was with trepedition that he made his way to the hospital wing to see for himself.

The sight that greeted him upon his arrival left much to be desired in Severus' mind. His godson who had apparently remained at Hermione's bedside after delivering her, was sitting in a chair he'd obviously pulled to her bedside, his head resting on the bed, his hand clasping hers where it rested on her stomach. They made a picturesque image, he admitted to himself, the blonde, ,blue-eyed former-Slytherin and the dark-haired, chocolate-eyed former-Gryffindor. He wondered briefly if he shouldn't bow out gracefully and allow his godson to be the hero miss Granger obviously needed. However, Severus Snape had never been one to bow gracefully out of anything, and he was not about to start now. He stepped into the room, and cleared his throat rather loudly. Draco jolted, shooting straight up as though he was a student again, and had been caught sleeping in class.

He turned, and his azure eyes lit in recognition. "No change", he murmured softly. "She sleeps peacefully for a while, then starts screaming and thrashing about as though someone were trying to kill her." He shook his head ruefully, "I wasn't certain whether to wake her or not." Severus merely nodded, not trusting his voice to conceal his emotions. Several moments passed in a rather tense silence before the older man spoke. "Where's Pomfrey?" he said finally. Draco smirked wryly. "One of the Hufflepuffs broke his arm trying to show off for his girlfriend", the younger man relayed softly. "If the girl-ish screams are any indication, I'd say he's not taking to the skele-grow very well." Severus knew a moment's irritation, what did a broken arm matter in the face of a potentially fatal curse? But it passed as quickly as it had come, Pomfrey had to see to the students, Hermione was largely his responsibility. After all, if anyone possessed the knowledge to help her, he did.

She stirred, rendering both men highly alert. Severus was at her bedside in an instant. She began murmuring something, too softly to be heard at first, and then with growing panic. "No! No! No!" She was thrashing now, violently, as though trying to wrestle free of something. "It's a fake!" she insisted to someone, "it isn't real!" Draco looked stricken, "the manor", he informed Snape, "she's dreaming about being tortured by Bellatrix at Malfoy manner." After he and Hermione had become friends, Draco had spent much time trying to do penance for that particular day. He'd known remorse for it, even as it happened, but had been unwilling to do anything more than profess uncertainty about the identity of Potter.

Severus, after a moment's horrified realization, forced himself to react. He took both of her arms, holding her to the bed. "Miss Granger!" then "Hermione!" Still she seemed unaware. "Hermione please you must wake up, you are only dreaming, none of what you're seeing is real!" Her eyes shot open as though she'd been shocked. "S-Severus!" she said his name like a declaration, and then broke down a moment later."It..It was all so r-real. Bellatrix...sh-she had the knife..she said she was going to k-kill me." She rolled up her sleeve, staring blithely at the somewhat-faded scar. The word 'mudblood' stared back, a concrete reminder of the day she'd just been forced to re-live. Pomfrey came rushing in, looking wide-eyed and somwhat bewildered. "What happened?" she demanded, then lowered her voice. "It sounded like someone was using the _Cruciatus_ curse in here!" Hermione glanced up, having regained a fraction of her normal calm. "In a manner of speaking", she answered sardonically.

Severus Snape was amazed, for her to be responding was impressive enough, for her to have gathered herself enough to form a somewhat witty response was mind-boggling. He was pulled from his thoughts by Pomfrey's voice. "Miss Granger you need to re-" She was cut-off by Hermione's scathing response. "I'm bloody tired of trying to rest", she retorted. "I go to sleep, I dream, I wake up screaming, its all so bloody well predictable!" "Miss Granger!" came Pomfrey's affronted voice again. "No! I'm tired of being coddled. Either a cure is found and we all move on or a cure isn't found and I die! That's the thick of it isn't it?" Severus chose that moment to intercede. "Poppy, perhaps it would be best if you left Miss Granger to me for the time being." Madame Pomfrey looked as though she wanted very much to argue that statement, but a quick glance around the room told her she was dreadfully out-numbered. So, she settled with. "All right, but I must insist on only one guest at a time, school policy you know."

Snape thought he heard Malfoy mutter something like "bugger school policy", but couldn't be sure. Severus gave his godson a telling look, and the younger man sighed. "I'll go, I need to prepare my lessons for tomorrow anyway." However, before he made his departure, he returned to his place by Hermione's bed. "You're going to pull through this, I know you can, and you will." He raised her hand to his lips, and kissed her palm. She appeared touched, and Severus tried not to noticably blanch. Draco had obviously gotten Lucius' charm as well as his looks. Pomfrey took her leave, and Draco exited swiftly behind her, leaving Snape and Hermione alone in blissful silence. "There's no other way is there?" she asked in a small voice. "We have to find whoever did this." Severus met her eyes when she spoke, and responded in kind. "I have not given up", he insisted, "but yes, it appears that way."

The girl nodded as though she'd been expecting as much. "I don't have any idea who might have done it", she informed him. "Save for one of the remaining deatheaters." Severus shook his head, "all are either in Azkaban, kissed, or dead", he answered. Her eyes dimmed considerably, "then we're at a dead end." Severus frowned, "I need you to think very hard Hermione, is there _anyone_ you can think of who might harbor enough ill will to do something like this to you?" Her expression became there anyone? Someone she'd slighted so completely in the past that they'd want to ruin her life? Her eyes lit as though a realization had come suddenly. "Rita Skeeter!" she almost shouted. At Severus' questioning look, she managed a weak grin. "During fourth year, she wrote all of these horrendous lies about Harry, Krum, and me." She explained. Severus vaguely recalled something to that effect, but didn't think it worth mentioning.

"I started wondering how she was getting her information", she continued, "and when I started looking around, I kept noticing this beetle cropping up at the strangest times. It didn't take long to figure out who it was. The beetle was Skeeter's animagus, but she's unregistered." Hermione sounded proud, "I trapped her in a jar, and threatened to expose her to the Ministry if she didn't stop writing about the three of us." Snape was torn between appearing shocked, and being somewhat impressed. He'd never thought her capable of such devious behavior and the thought of her catching Rita Skeeter in a jar rather amused him. "Anyway, no one much heard from her after that, I think I ruined her career." Severus appeared to be considering the idea. While it was true, such an occurance might well ruin Skeeter's pitiful excuse for a journalistic integrity, he had never considered the woman intelligent enough to pull off something of this magnitude. None the less, given that Skeeter seemed to be the only name on Hermione's mind, it was as good a place to start as any.

He took the opprotunity to examine her briefly. Her eyes were alert, but they lacked the luster of the young girl he had once enjoyed patronizing. Her dark hair still hung in becoming waves, but it appeared frazzled, as though she simply hadn't thought it worth the time to style properly. Her skin was only just beginning to take on the pale hue of the slightly ill. Miss Granger had always been fair skinned, he thought, even in her youth. He was so absorbed in his thoughts, that at first he did not realize she was returning his gaze in silence. Severus Snape had not blushed in many many years, but he found himself thinking that if he retained the ability, now would be the time. Annoyed, he spoke more harshly than he meant to. "You aren't looking well." Stung by his coldly calculated evaluation of her appearance, she snapped back. "You try re-living your worst memories and barely sleeping for two days, see how you look."

In fact, Severus had done that very thing for many years, but refrained from stating as much. He had opened up to this girl far more than he ought in his own estimation. He stood, and made to leave, when he reached the door, he turned back briefly. "Some of us are forced to relive our mistakes in our waking ours Miss Granger, without the benefit of a possible cure." The parting shot was enough to render Hermione silent long enough for Severus to remove himself. She pulled her legs up, and rested her chin on her knees. There, in the pristine white of this unassuming room, Hermione Granger had never felt more alone. That was until a new voice edged its way into her consciousness. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" She turned, and her eyes lit up. "I can't believe you're here!"

**A/N: And so marks my return to this story! Please R/R and let me know what you think, all comments welcome as always!**


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